Latino Daily News

Infamous Argentine Drug Queenpin is Arrested

Police in the central Argentine province of San Luis arrested reputed drug boss Yaquelina “La Yaqui” Vargas in connection with death threats against journalists in neighboring Mendoza province, authorities said Friday.

Vargas was detained along with three other people, Mendoza provincial Security Minister Leonardo Comperatore told a radio station.

Mendoza police have been keeping a close eye on Vargas, he said.

“We have several lines of investigation continuously open to provide prosecutors with elements that lead to searches and arrests,” Comperatore said.

Three reporters at El Sol de Mendoza newspaper had to be taken into protective custody last month after receiving death threats from a criminal outfit known as Yaqui’s Little Angels.

The journalists had written stories about the group’s activities.

A few days later, Yaquelina Vargas voluntarily presented herself in court to ask how she had been chosen “as the new public enemy of Mendoza society” and deny any connection with the death threats.

Though Vargas has yet to be formally charged with a crime, her husband, Cristian Gelvez, was killed on Jan. 22 during a furlough from prison, where he was serving an 18-year sentence for homicide.